Medical
Rules

Driving
eyesight requirements

Before
you start to learn to drive, make sure you
are aware of the eyesight requirements.
If you need glasses or contact lenses to
meet the requirements you must make sure
you wear them every time you drive.

Letting
DVLA know about eyesight conditions

When
applying for your driving licence from
the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
(DVLA) you should let them know if you
have:

any
visual condition which affects
both eyes (not including short
or long sight or colour blindness)

any
visual condition which affects
your sight, (not including short
or long sight or colour blindness),
for example, if you have
sight in one eye only

If
you have had sight correction surgery
you should declare this when you apply
for your provisional licence.

Eyesight
requirements for the practical driving
test

Before
the practical driving test, your driving
examiner will ask you to read the number
plate on a stationary vehicle.

The
distance requirement for the old-style
number plate is 20.5 metres. The distance
requirement for the eyesight test with
the new-style number plate is 20 metres.
New-style number plates were introduced
on 1 September 2001 and are easily identifiable
because they start with two letters
ie AB51 ABC.

If
you can't speak English or have difficulty
reading, you may copy down what you
see. If your answer is incorrect, your
examiner will measure the exact distance
and repeat the test.

If
you can read the number plate correctly
you will be allowed to proceed with
your driving test.

What
happens if I can not read the first number
plate?

If
you are unsuccessful on the first eyesight
test, you should be asked to read another
number plate, and if necessary be allowed
to walk forward until you are just over
20.5 metres away or 20 metres if it
is a new number plate.

What
happens if I can not read the second number plate?

If
you do not read the second plate correctly, the examiner
must use a tape measure to measure the exact distance
from a third number plate. This will be 20.5 metres if
you are asked to read an old-style number plate and 20
metres if you are asked to read a new-style number plate.
If you can not read the number plate at this distance,
and the examiner is satisfied that you do not meet the
required eyesight standard, you will fail the driving
test, and the practical test will not continue.

This
test failure will be marked on the driving test report
form (DL25) with a mark in the Item 1 box. Your interpretation
of the number plate along with the correct one will be
written on the back of the form along with the measured
distance.

What
if I need glasses to pass the eyesight test?

If
you use glasses to read the number plate for the eyesight
test, you must wear them whenever you drive. If you take
off your glasses during the practical test, your test
will not continue. If you are unable to pass the eyesight
requirement because you have forgotten or broken your
glasses, or brought the wrong pair, you will not be allowed
to take the practical test. This will result in a test
failure.

What
happens if I fail the eyesight test?

If
you fail your practical driving test on the eyesight requirement,
the examiner will send a form (D255) to DVLA notifying
them of the eyesight failure. DVLA will then ask DSA to
conduct a separate eyesight test for you at a test centre.
If you are successful at this separate eyesight test you
will still have to pass the standard eyesight test at
your next practical driving test.